


So It Was Foretold

by Kalael



Series: Arthurian AU [1]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Arthurian AU, Multi, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-19
Updated: 2015-01-13
Packaged: 2017-12-15 11:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/849082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalael/pseuds/Kalael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>King Kozmotis Pitchiner is in need of a worthy blade, and the Guardian of the Lake has exactly that.</p><p>Based on Arthurian legend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was going to be a oneshot. And then it grew, and grew, and grew until it went out of control and demanded to have chapters.

"For a mystical lake, this is rather...small." Kozmotis says, expression dubious as he looks out across the supposed lake. The size is more appropriate for a large pond, as walking around the edge of it had taken only a few minutes. There is nothing special about the glorified puddle, from what he can tell. At his side, the wizard North snorts and strokes his beard.

"All you mortals, so preoccupied with glamors and impressions. Magic is magic, no? The lake is powerful, size does not matter." Kozmotis sighs, but his moment of disappointment does not last as North pushes him towards the water. "Go. Walk into the center. You will see."

Giving North a suspicious look, Kozmotis nonetheless concedes and removes his empty scabbard before walking into the water. It's surprisingly frigid despite it being high noon on a summer day. Kozmotis shudders and almost walks back to shore but North gives him an impatient look. He continues towards the center, the water coming up past his hips and then up to mid chest. It's still freezing and he hasn't gone numb from the cold, which leaves him shivering in the middle of the lake. His teeth are chattering as he turns to address North, wondering what to do next.

The blasted wizard is gone, not a trace of him on the shore though Kozmotis is sure he would have heard the man leave. He swears under his breath and is preparing to march back to dry land when a hand settles on his shoulder.

"I've been waiting for you, King Pitchiner." A low voice murmurs into his ear. Kozmotis jerks around, eyes narrowed at whomever had snuck up on him. He does not expect the youthful face smiling back at him. "Aw, you look as though you've seen a ghost! Don't worry, your majesty, I'll do you no harm if you do none to me." The boy cackles and floats back. He's _flying._

"Who...what are you?" Kozmotis asks warily. The boy smiles and twists in the air, adjusting his blue tunic as he examines the king before him.

"I am the Guardian of the Lake, Jackson Overland Frost. However, you may call me Jack as I'm not much for titles. Are you particular about titles? I rather dislike them." Jack peers into Kozmotis' face, ever grinning. "Doesn't matter, what are kings to the likes of me? I will call you Kozmotis and you will call me Jack. We are all the same class and rank, in this realm."

"You're very forward, for a child." Kozmotis bristles. To his surprise Jack just laughs and rolls in the air, the breeze tossing him playfully. It chills him to the bone as he continues to stand in freezing water.

"A child? I'm far older than you, though the years have been kinder to me. Three hundred years, I think, have passed me by since I was taken by the lake." His smile grows bittersweet at that but it disappears as quickly as it had come. "But we are all alike, here. You are not in the same place that you left, see?"

Jack gestures around them and for the first time Kozmotis realizes that he is standing in what appears to be a much larger lake, though he cannot see land beyond Jack's grinning features. He is still the same distance from the shore where he had left North waiting, but the trees there are twisted gold with vibrant leaves. They are unusually defined and Kozmotis frowns at them, knowing that these were not the same trees that he had seen just minutes before.

"Where...?"

"The Sea of Avalon." Jack explains. "I am the Guardian of the Lake, but also one of the Guardians of the Realm. Your friend, North, he is also a Guardian. Funny he should go by the title ‘wizard’, however. The Holly King is more than a court magician." Jack taps his lower lip with a finger before shrugging.

"So this is the realm of the Fae?" Kozmotis asks slowly. Jack nods and begins picking at the hem of his tunic, allowing a flash of skin to be seen. Kozmotis is momentarily distracted by how inhumanly pale he is, his skin nearly translucent.

"You've come for a reason, Kozmotis, though I doubt you know it. But if you spend this day with me then I will give you that which you unknowingly seek."

"But, North--"

"He is meeting with his court. As I said, the Holly King is no mere magician. He has other duties to attend." Jack smiles brightly and his entire face transforms from boyish mischievousness to inhuman beauty. Kozmotis belatedly remembers the stories of other worldly charms and turns his gaze away. Jack laughs before he grips Kozmotis by both shoulders and lifts him clear out of the water. His laughter grows when the man in his arms begins to flail.

“Put me down this instant!” Kozmotis demands. Jack complies, setting Kozmotis down gently on something solid. He looks down in surprise and finds that there is frost crawling along the surface of the lake, freezing it enough that Kozmotis can stand on it.

“I did not think you would want to be in the water, if you are to accept my proposal.” He turns to look at Jack, who is also standing on the ice. The frost appears to be originating from under his bare feet. If there were any doubts about Jack’s Fae status before, there certainly aren’t any now. 

Kozmotis takes this time to examine Jack, noting in his strange appearance. Now that they are both standing on even ground, Jack is much shorter and slighter than he had previously thought. He is pale, almost entirely colorless except for his blue eyes. His hair is white and Kozmotis notices patches of green between the strands--there is a wreath of white flowers around his head, tiny snowdrops that are nearly hidden against Jack’s hair. He wears a blue tunic tied with a frosted belt and deerskin leggings that end mid calf, and they are of fine make but worn through what Kozmotis can only presume is age. Jack peers up at him through thick eyelashes and Kozmotis notices that his cheeks and nose are dusted with freckles so light they almost disappear. Everything about Jack is unreal and small, it is no wonder that this boy is supernatural. He could disappear if Kozmotis so much as blinked.

“Well?” Jack asks, impatient, and Kozmotis shakes off what must be a Fae glamour. North had brought him here without fully explaining why, only mentioning that something needed to be obtained from the lake. Jack is obviously the key to that, and although Kozmotis knows that trusting a creature from somewhere as unknown as Avalon is a grave mistake, there is little he can do on his own. He is out of his depth, here, completely at the mercy of the Guardian of the Lake. Jack is smiling again, as though he knows what Kozmotis is thinking.

“I will do as you ask, if you swear to give me what North and I have come for.” He says slowly. Jack looks pleasantly surprised, like he hadn’t expected Kozmotis to say yes, and in his excitement he grabs Kozmotis’ hand and drags him along the ice. The frost is thick but slippery and Kozmotis sucks in a breath as his boots slide beneath him.

“You may regret this.” Jack laughs, all tension gone from his figure as he pulls the distraught young king along.

“I already am.” Kozmotis mutters, but either Jack doesn’t hear him or he ignores him as he chatters enthusiastically. The sun is still high in the sky and Kozmotis knows that this is going to be a very long and exhausting day.

They don’t leave the lake. The sea, Kozmotis corrects himself as he looks around them. The shore is still in sight but he is otherwise surrounded by miles of glittering water. Jack makes sure to frost over a path so that Kozmotis can walk, silent now as they near a rocky outcropping peering out over the waves. As they grow closer Kozmotis realizes that it’s actually a house of sorts, including a vibrant stained glass window and carved stone door. Jack ushers Kozmotis inside and closes the door behind them.

It’s sparse inside, filled with odd relics and bits of driftwood and sailcloth. Jack throws himself down on a pile of old fishing nets and curls up into himself, appearing almost childlike as he peers up at Kozmotis. His blue eyes glow uncomfortably in the dim light and Kozmotis almost looks away to avoid that piercing stare.

"Tell me about Camelot." Jack demands. Kozmotis jerks, startled. He hadn’t expected something like that, though he doesn’t know what he _had_ been expecting when Jack lead him to this place.

"What do you wish to know?" He asks carefully. Jack may look like a harmless young man, but he is anything but that.

"Everything."

"That would take more than a day." Kozmotis can’t help but bark out a short laugh, but Jack still looks up at him with a determined face.

"Then tell me about you. Your adventures, your companions, the outside world as you’ve seen it." He’s completely serious, Kozmotis realizes, and he finds it strange that a three hundred year old fae boy like Jack would be asking someone like him for stories.

"Surely there is nothing so interesting about the outside world. The mortal realm could not hold a candle to Avalon, I'm sure." He watches as Jack’s expression twists into something dark and sad, but it’s soon replaced by the same determined face he wore before.

"I wouldn't know. I've never seen beyond those trees on the shoreline. Avalon is a wondrous place, to be sure, but I have nothing to compare it to." Jack picks his words carefully, even as his gaze slides to somewhere over Kozmotis’ shoulder.

“You’ve never left this lake?” He can’t help his incredulous tone. The darkness in Jack’s eyes makes sense now. Has Jack been here alone for the past three hundred years?

“No.” Jack shrugs one shoulder and shifts uncomfortably on his seat of netting. “Will you tell me, then? You swore to spend this day with me and I would like to make this enjoyable, at least.”

“Alright, then...” Kozmotis tells him about everything he can think of. The ruins of old forts he’d explored as a child, the midsummer festival that would begin after his return, sword fighting with his father before he had passed on. He pauses often, trying to remember every little detail so that he can describe the world as accurately as possible. Jack listens raptly, his blue eyes wide and his knees tucked against his chest. The more stories Kozmotis tells the more talkative Jack becomes, asking questions and interjecting comments that may or may not be relevant to what story is being told.

The rest of the day passes quickly, the sun settling low on the horizon and casting blue shadows on the ice beneath Kozmotis’ feet as they leave the small, rocky home. Jack floats beside him, oddly silent as he gazes out into the distance. Kozmotis wonders what’s happening in that delicate head of his. Jack is an enigma, an odd mix of serious and ridiculous with moments where he seems entirely too distant even as he floats just beside Kozmotis’ shoulder. This is one of those moments.

“Thank you.” Jack murmurs and Kozmotis is caught off guard by the polite tone after what had been hours of sarcastic banter. Before he can respond, Jack is lowering himself to kneel on the ice and pressing his palms flat against the surface. The ice melts suddenly, cracking and falling away into the water. Kozmotis takes a step back, unsure, but Jack just reaches into the water with both hands and pulls forth two objects. They catch in the light and Kozmotis realizes that these must be the things that he and North have come for. Jack stands up straight and turns around, waiting just at the edge of the ice as he looks up at Kozmotis.

"I can give you a choice." Jack says softly. "In my right hand I hold a sword which will never break or fail you in battle. In my left, an enchanted scabbard which will serve you and only you. You may only choose one, and I cannot elaborate on how either of these will truly benefit you. That would be divining, and I have broken enough rules this day."

"The sword." Kozmotis says without hesitation. Jack smiles a bit sadly and clutches the sword in his right hand a bit tighter.

"A blade worthy of only the mightiest of kings." Jack says. "It will serve you well in battle."

He drops the scabbard from his left hand and the jewel encrusted leather sinks into the water, where it disappears beneath the gentle waves. Then Jack lifts the blade so that it rests flat against his palms, held as an offering to Kozmotis. He kisses the place where the blade meets the hilt at the crossguard and drags his lips up the length of the sword until the tip catches his lower lip, and the resulting cut leaves a smear of blood on the shining metal.

"You must throw this sword back into the lake before you die, or your soul may be in danger." Jack's expression is stern although his voice sounds brittle. Kozmotis lifts the sword from Jack’s hands and is awed by how light it feels.

"I will return this sword to you." He promises, lifting the blade high above his head and watching as sunlight reflects across it.

"Good." Jack smiles again but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He floats upwards, feet leaving the ice, and it cracks where he had once been standing. “You may want to hurry back to shore. The frost will not last much longer.” As if on cue, the ice cracks again and this time it splits right between Kozmotis’ spread feet.

“It’s named Excalibur!” Jack calls after him as he hurries back to shore, slipping on the ice and nearly falling. In the end he is forced to wade through knee high water when the frost finally shatters beneath his feet, making him stumble into some water weeds. He swears that he can hear Jack laughing somewhere behind him, but when he looks all he sees is a quiet little lake in the woods.

“You have returned!” North booms as he walks out of the line of trees. “Did you meet Jack?”

“I did.” Kozmotis mutters, pulling off his boots to shake the water out of them. North laughs at him, until he sees what Kozmotis is carrying. He frowns at the sword and shakes his head, disapproving.

"You are a fool, to choose the sword. The scabbard would save your life." North says, his brows furrowed above his large eyes. How had North known about the choice? "Jackson took great pain to offer the scabbard, and you choose the blade. A typical man." He doesn’t offer an explanation for how he knows about their exchange. He simply turns around and heads back into the woods, glancing back once to make sure that Kozmotis will follow.

Kozmotis holds Excalibur before him, remembering the way that Jack’s lips had dragged across the blade. Then he laughs at himself and sheaths the sword. He can’t blame his fascination with Jack on Fae charms anymore.

“A typical man, indeed.”


	2. Chapter 2

He returns a few months later, when snow has covered the ground and ice has made the journey far more difficult than before. His horse almost refuses to enter the woods and she rears back in fear when a large figure steps out from the trees. Kozmotis scrambles to keep astride the saddle, nearly toppling off before he gets a better grip on the reins.

“Skittish thing.” The figure rumbles, reaching out a large hand to stroke down the horse’s flank. She immediately calms and Kozmotis finds himself looking into the face of the wizard North. Jack’s words come back to him in that instance, and North’s prolonged absence begins to make sense.

“Greetings, Holly King.” Kozmotis says warily. North laughs so hard that his belly shakes and he strokes up the horse’s neck until she is completely still.

“Jack has a loose tongue, no? You may call me North, King Pitchiner, as you always have.”

“And you may call me Kozmotis as you always have.” Kozmotis says, the tension draining from his shoulders. North grins at him and runs a hand through the horse’s mane, untangling small knots in her hair as he watches Kozmotis shift uncomfortably. _He must be doing this on purpose_ , Kozmotis thinks. _North is a conniving old man and he just wants to watch me squirm._

“You may leave your horse with me. I will care for her as you meet with Jack.” North says, still grinning.

“I’m not-” Kozmotis begins to protest, but North gives him an amused look that shuts him up quickly. He averts his gaze, feeling a bit embarrassed at being caught so easily.

“What else would you return for?” North shrugs and takes the reins from Kozmotis’ hand, watching as he slides from the saddle and grabs a bag that had been tied to it. “You know the way back. The forest will not harm you if you are respectful of it.”

“Thank you.”

“It is no problem.” North smiles, then leads the horse away. They disappear quickly in the shadow of the trees. Kozmotis stares after them for a moment, then shakes his head and follows the overgrown path that he had traveled months before.

He is surprised to find Jack kneeling on the shoreline, gathering fallen branches from the surrounding trees and sorting them into piles. The wreath of snowdrops in his hair is encased in ice, and whenever Jack moves his head the flowers glitter like gems. Kozmotis simply watches for a while, uncertain if he should intrude on whatever Jack is doing. He looks completely at peace, smiling to himself as he selects a few thin boughs of holly.

“I know you’re there.” Jack calls out, not looking up from whatever it is he's doing. "You aren't very good at hiding. You may as well come out.”

Kozmotis walks out from the treeline a bit sheepishly, ignoring the way Jack smiles smugly up at him.

“I thought you said you couldn’t leave the lake.” He says, curiously eyeing Jack as he gets closer. Jack returns his attention to the task at hand, still smiling although it has taken a strangely melancholy edge.

“I have the ability to move within the barrier, which extends to the treeline. But in the warm seasons I need to stay on the lake.” He flicks his fingers and frost spirals along one of the branches, crusting it with icy patterns. Kozmotis stares, not entirely surprised but still amazed at seeing such effortless use of power. Most magic users in Camelot are human, or hide themselves as human, and they do not have as easy of a time using their powers. Jack doesn’t even blink as frost curls beneath him, glittering in the daylight.

“What is the reason for that?” Kozmotis asks as Jack selects a few more branches that aren’t iced over.

“The cold discourages mortals from wandering too far.” Jack explains, his fingers twisting the boughs in his hands until the beginnings of a holly wreath come into shape. “So when winter comes, I can walk along the shore for as long as I want. I like to sit here and watch the forest.”

“And you have done so for three hundred years?” Kozmotis thinks back to the way Jack had iced the lake over for him to walk on, wonders if he has done that for anyone else. Three centuries seems an unfathomable amount of time to be alone. Jack bobs his head in affirmation before speaking.

“Yes. There used to be a human settlement in the woods, before this lake became known as the gateway to Avalon. When the fae began to inhabit the forest the humans were driven out by fear.” Jack pauses, looking into the woods with a wistful expression. “I miss them sometimes, even though they never saw me. They would never venture into the lake, even when I had frozen it solid for them...”

“They never saw you?” Kozmotis asks, masking his surprise beneath indifference. The way Jack’s hands falter are a sign that the subject is a sore one.

“They knew me, once.” Jack answers cryptically, but he offers no more explanation and Kozmotis is left wondering.

“Oh, I have something for you.” Kozmotis remembers. Jack puts down the wreath and looks curiously at him as Kozmotis holds out the cloth sack that he had been carrying with him.

“What is it?” Jacks asks, even as he takes the sack and opens it up. His face lights up and he glances at Kozmotis for confirmation before he pulls out the contents of the bag. There is a loaf of sweet bread packed with dried fruits, which Jack eagerly bites into and holds with his mouth as he pulls out a second loaf. He makes an unintelligible happy noise around the bread when he puts the second loaf back and takes out a carefully packed clay container. He holds it up and gives Kozmotis a questioning look.

“It’s a sort of pudding.” Kozmotis says, and Jack nearly drops the bread out of his mouth in excitement. It’s both fascinating and heartbreaking to see how worked up Jack is over a simple offering of food. Kozmotis would be lying if he said that he hadn’t been expecting such a reaction.

“Fantastic.” Jack breaths, having replaced the sweet bread in the bag. He glances between Kozmotis and the clay container, looking troubled but only for a moment as he seems to reach a conclusion. He carefully puts the container into the bag and folds it over before placing it gently on the ground and returning to his work on the holly crown. He seems more lively now, his cheeks flushed and eyes bright as he works with nimble fingers. Kozmotis hesitates before kneeling down next to him.

“So you just...make crowns?” He asks dubiously. Jack laughs, a full-body thing that has him shuddering with the force of it. He calms after a moment, giving Kozmotis an indecipherable look.

“There are other activities, of course. It isn’t as though I have nothing better to do, but I enjoy making things like this. They eventually wilt, but nothing is permanent.” He smiles and holds up the three boughs that he has been twining together.

“You are.” Kozmotis says, unthinking. Jack stills.

“I am.” He agrees softly. “But I am not even half as old as this forest, so really I’m not the best example of permanence. You look nearly on par with that sapling over there.” Jack grins and gestures to a small sprout of a tree and Kozmotis makes an indignant noise, swatting half heartedly at Jack who just dodges the swipe and laughs.

“You appear younger than me, it hardly seems fair that you can jibe me about my age when you still look like a child.”

“I have lived through many of your lifetimes, boy, I have every right to tease you.” Jack smirks and for a moment there is a dark look in his eyes, a wild thing that passes too quickly for Kozmotis to properly catch sight of. When it’s gone it’s as though it was never there and Jack is pure light again, blending with the snow around him in his paleness. It’s disconcerting and Kozmotis is reminded that despite Jack’s friendly demeanor, he is still fae and dangerous.

“But what brings you here? Certainly you haven’t come just to bring me this satchel.” Jack looks back to his work although his tone suggests that he is indeed very curious. Kozmotis wonders at that himself. Excalibur is still buckled to his side, a familiar weight against his hip.

“Curiosity.” He answers, finally, and Jack peers up at him through pale eyelashes. “I’ve never met one of the fae, discluding the wizard North because I had not known he was fae until you mentioned it. You seem willing enough to talk.” More like desperate for it, if Kozmotis’ only payment for the sword was to tell Jack stories of the outside world. Jack pauses to glance at Kozmotis again, his expression suddenly distant.

“Three and twenty years, right?” Jack asks, startling Kozmotis.

“Yes, that is my age.” He says cautiously, and Jack nods. He is still looking up at Kozmotis, though his eyes are nearly seeing through him. Jack is unfocused, mind apparently elsewhere, and then suddenly he is fully there and his gaze is so piercing that it nearly hurts to look into his eyes.

“You really are young. Be careful what you seek from this lake, from _me_.” It’s not a threat but the warning is there and Kozmotis doesn’t know what to make of it. Jack’s gaze slides away and Kozmotis releases a breath he hadn’t known that he had been holding.

“You are nothing like you seem.” Kozmotis murmurs. Jack’s lips quirk into a faint smile that drops off when he accidentally snaps one of the holly boughs. He mutters a curse and unwinds the bough from the others before selecting a new one, starting from the beginning.

“You’re far too quick to judge based on appearances.” Jack offers up absently in response. “You’d do well to look beyond physical attributes, now that you’re known to the fae. You never know when you might offend someone, they are very particular about manners and tradition.”

“Speaking from experience?” Kozmotis inquires wryly, and Jack can’t hide his chagrin.

“Perhaps. But I have little regard for those who can’t take a joke.” There is surely a story here and as much as Kozmotis wants to hear about Jack’s misadventures with the other fae, the setting sun is a sign that he must leave soon. Jack stands abruptly, startling Kozmotis who immediately reaches for his sword. He grips the hilt but leaves his hand there, instead staring up at Jack who is beaming down at him. With the light behind him his white hair is stained gold and red and his face is cast in shadow. He’s distractingly beautiful, and Kozmotis has to look away.

“Your crown, my king.” Jack jokes as he holds up the finished holly wreath. Kozmotis scoffs but he plays along, shifting so that he kneeling before Jack with a bowed head. He is faintly reminded of his coronation that had occurred on two years before, though the wreath being placed on his head is far lighter than the gilded crown his father had once worn. Jack fusses with the holly leaves as they stick into Kozmotis’ hair, and only when he is satisfied does he step back and hold out his hand to help the king to his feet.

For the sake of catching Jack off guard, Kozmotis gently takes Jack’s hand and brings it to his lips to press a kiss to the back of it. Jack freezes, his fingers spasming in Kozmotis’ grip, and he grins up at Jack’s bemused expression.

“Thank you, my lord.” Kozmotis says, and Jack’s lips twitch into a shy smile. “But I must take my leave. Thank you for humoring me this day.”

“It was my pleasure!” There is no hint of insincerity in Jack’s face and Kozmotis finds himself feeling fully at ease for the first time in quite a while. Away from Camelot and court politics, he doesn’t need to put up airs. As much as he would like to stay, however, he is needed by his people.

“Farewell, Jack.” He says, and Jack stands at the edge of the lake watching him go even though Kozmotis quickly disappears from sight behind the trees. Kozmotis glances back, wondering if Jack is still standing there, but the lakeshore is hidden from view. It’s only when he retrieves his horse from North that Kozmotis realizes that he’s still wearing the holly crown. North doesn’t say anything about it, he just gets an odd look on his face before saying farewell and disappearing into the woods. Kozmotis debates removing it.

In the end he wears it all the way back to Camelot, ignoring the way his subjects gawk at him. It remains in his rooms until it wilts, and Kozmotis finds himself wondering about the nature of permanence and whether or not such fragile things could ever coexist with wild, untamed power.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhh it's short and I'm not totally happy with it but I updated so yay!!! Hopefully I will be able to update a little more regularly once I've adjusted to my school schedule and once the show I am working on is done (at the end of this month). We'll see!

Kozmotis doesn’t wait nearly as long as the first time before visiting again. Now that he knows that he doesn’t have to wander out onto the lake in order to met with Jack in the winter, he decides to take advantage of the cold weather. The journey from Camelot to the lake is not a long one, only an hour by horseback and even less so in the warmer seasons when the road is clear. The woods are untouched, the magic emanating from it so powerful that it has deterred mortals for centuries. Jack’s previous explanation only confirmed what Kozmotis thought to be true, and he is wary as he enters the forest again. Just as before, North comes to meet him and takes his horse before Kozmotis finds his way through the thick wood to the lake shore.

Jack is surprised to see him but he grins and waves his free hand. The other is stroking the fur of a small white rabbit who appears to be perfectly content in Jack’s lap. As Kozmotis approaches, the rabbit stirs and Jack hushes it, murmuring soothing noises until Kozmotis is kneeling before him.

"Here." Jack whispers, taking Kozmotis' hand and placing it on the rabbit's fur. "She's soft."

The rabbit's heart quickens and she trembles beneath their hands but does not run. Jack's fingers are cool over his own and Kozmotis slowly pets the creature's silken fur, awed as she calms beneath his touch. He looks up at Jack, who is smiling at him with surprising fondness. Bemused, Kozmotis looks back at the rabbit and pulls his hand away.

"Do you often spend your time playing with woodland animals?" He asks, and Jack laughs quietly.

"Most dislike me, but some are unafraid." Jack strokes the rabbit's ears and she makes a small sound. Kozmotis is tempted to put his hands back just to feel the cold of Jack's fingers heating up under his own but Jack is crooning softly at the rabbit, who has gone limp under his hands and appears to be falling asleep. It's not as though Kozmotis has never seen something like this, pet rabbits were popular in his childhood, but seeing someone as wild as Jack being able to calm a creature known for its timidity is fascinating in its own strange, fae way.

“You would think rabbits would be frightened.” Kozmotis says, settling in next to Jack and pressing their shoulders together.

“Not all enjoy my company. Most can’t stand the cold. This one is special, I guess.” Jack smiles and leans against him, relaxing slowly into the casual contact. They sit quietly together and it’s not awkward or tense, despite their knowing each other for only a short while. The rabbit dozes in Jack’s lap and Kozmotis is content to stay there in silence until the cold bites through his cloak and the snow beneath him has started to soak into it. Reluctantly he stands up and brushes the snow off himself. Jack looks up at him and gently urges the rabbit from his lap. She hops slowly into the cover of the trees as Kozmotis and Jack watch, still quiet.

“I’m going to guess that you didn’t have any pressing reasons to come visit.” Jack finally breaks the silence as he floats up to a standing position. He cracks a smile as he clasps his hands behind his back and Kozmotis catches something fragile in the curve of his lips.

“Nothing of great urgency, no. Do you mind?” He watches Jack's face for a reaction, something that might hint that Jack finds him annoying. Jack remains clear of anything that suggests that he is not entirely sincere.

“No! No. It’s just...surprising, I suppose. No questions for me? No long winded rants about your duties?” He asks curiously, and Kozmotis makes a disgusted sound in the back of his throat.

“Does that really happen?” He wonders aloud, and Jack offers him a weak smirk.

“You would be shocked.” He says. Kozmotis can't imagine someone coming out here just to complain about their life, but Jack was surprised that he hadn't come to do the same so there were definitely people out there who had done such a thing. What an absolute waste.

“Well, I have none of that for you. If you’d like I could do that the next time I visit, but I’d rather not. It seems a bit pointless to me to do that when there are better things to do, to talk about.” Kozmotis watches as Jack’s small smile grows into a pleased grin, though it’s still strangely vulnerable. It takes him a moment to remember that Jack has spent much of his life alone, and maybe the few visits he has received were the ones where people only expected things from him or wanted to use him as a sort of silent councillor. The first time Kozmotis had visited was to get the sword, and even then he had only endured Jack's company to get what he wanted.

He’s broken from his musings when a snowball hits him in the side of the head. He looks at Jack, stunned by the attack, and Jack is attempting to look innocent although he is failing miserably at it.

"You're awful at feigning ignorance." Kozmotis states, and Jack bursts into laughter. He is cut off when a snowball catches him on the chin and he turns to look at Kozmotis with incredulous glee.

"This means war." He announces. They stare at eachother for a moment, and then Jack is conjuring snowballs in his hands and Kozmotis is running for the treeline to take a defensive position. War tactics are Kozmotis' strong point and this is quickly proven when Jack gets too close to the trees and Kozmotis tackles him right out of the air.

"You should know better than to fight with a king." He says haughtily. Jack responds by smashing a fistful of snow over his head and snickering as Kozmotis makes a disgusted sound.

“You look ridiculous.” Jack laughs and reaches over to mess up Kozmotis’ hair, causing the king to scowl and swat his hands away. He rolls off of Jack and stands up, suddenly very aware of his childish actions and somewhat ashamed of them. Jack continues to lie in the snow, looking very pleased with himself.

"What are you smiling about?" Kozmotis asks, sullen as he brushes the snow from his hair.

"I got you to laugh." Jack says smugly. Kozmotis pauses and looks at him for a long moment, considering Jack’s smirk and the way it fades the longer Kozmotis stays silent.

“So you did.” Kozmotis smiles, and Jack visibly relaxes into the snow.

“You should laugh more often or your face will stick in that serious expression. Believe me, I’ve seen it before.”

“You are a downright liar.” Kozmotises accuses, and Jack just laughs again.

“I have seen a great many years pass by, who’s to say what I have or have not observed in that time?” He gives Kozmotis a look that was probably meant to look enigmatic. Kozmotis snorts and shakes his head.

“I suppose I should be going.”

“So soon?”

“Sadly, I do not have much free time on my hands. I will try to come back again before the end of the year.” Jack gives an understanding nod but his disappointment is clearly visible in the way he tenses up again and floats off at a distance that implies that he is trying to keep himself separated from Kozmotis.

“Have a safe journey home.” Jack says, waving goodbye. Kozmotis offers a wave before walking into the treeline, knowing full well that Jack cannot follow.

Leaving puts an ache into his chest, one that he has felt before but always refused to acknowledge. He has friends but none of them are as frank with him as Jack is. There is a divide between himself and Jack, to be sure, one that is far wider than the difference in class between Kozmotis and his court companions. But Jack feels no need to hold his tongue or impress or discuss politics because those sorts of things don’t affect him. Kozmotis envies that.

The irony isn’t lost on him. The lake may be a prison to Jack, but for Kozmotis it is freedom.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy shit it's 2015 and I'm actually updating this. For Besteck, because she reminded me of how much I still love RotG.

Kozmotis manages a few brief visits to Jack in stolen moments but as the year nears its end the days grow colder and the weather is harsh. Traveling to the lake takes more time and more people begin to notice when he tries to slip through the gates. North visits briefly to announce that the way to the forest is much more treacherous than usual due to the impending battle between the Oak and Holly kings, but Kozmotis is determined to visit at least once more.

The winter solstice arrives far more quickly than he expects and Kozmotis is left scrambling to find a gift for Jack, uncertain as to what an immortal boy could want or need. Food seems too foolish and impersonal, and little else seems to catch Kozmotis’ eye. What use would Jack have for jewelry or dishware or shoes? It isn’t until the servants begin pulling out the formal wear that Kozmotis is struck with an idea. He quickly commissions the most talented seamstress in Camelot and waits impatiently for the gift to arrive. With only a few more days until the solstice and the long celebration that follows, he is on a tight schedule to make sure that he can visit Jack before the events at Camelot have him trapped within the castle grounds.

The package comes just a day before Kozmotis’ planned visit to the lake and he examines it carefully, refusing to settle for anything less than the best. But it’s perfect, not a single flaw to be found, and he wraps it in decorative cloth before stowing it in his travel bag. The next morning he heads out just as the sun is rising, determined to meet with Jack as quickly as possible despite the warnings from North about possible unfriendly Fae encounters. He doesn’t meet anyone on the pathway and a dryad attendant arrives at the edge of the forest, looking tired and annoyed but taking the horse nonetheless. It does not occur to Kozmotis that Jack might need sleep and he falters for a moment, but when he arrives at the lake he finds Jack frosting the shoreline with intricate, spiraling patterns.

"Good morning, Jack." Kozmotis doesn't waste time in greeting him and Jack looks up in surprise, his hands dragging across the ground and messing up the whorls of frost he had been creating.

"Good morning?" Jack calls back as he stands up. He has a bemused, lopsided smile on his face and Kozmotis is far too eager to give him his solstice gift. He shoves the carefully packaged item into Jack’s hands and urges him to open it.

It’s only once Jack is holding the white rabbit fur cape in his hands that Kozmotis realizes that maybe it was a bad idea. He opens his mouth to apologize for his carelessness, wondering if the fur has disgusted the boy, but Jack buries his face into the soft pelts and makes a low noise.

“I’m sorry?” Kozmotis says weakly. Jack laughs and raises his face, which is flushed and joyous.

“No, I am the one who should apologize. I have no gift for you, I didn’t--” Jack cuts himself off with a broken sound, laughing and shaking as he buries his face into the pelt again.

"I didn't think you would come again. The seasonal war drives most people off, the amount of magic in one place is too much whether you are sensitive to it or not. So I thought…” Jack thought that he would be spending the Solstice alone, Kozmotis realizes. As he had probably spent every Solstice for the past three hundred years.

“I didn’t want to exclude you from the celebration. It only seemed right to bring you a gift.” Kozmotis says, not sure what else to say. Jack shakes his head, but he’s still smiling.

"This is more than...thank you. I'm sorry, I didn't have anything prepared for you. I wasn't expecting company." The smile slips from his face and Jack stares at the cape in his hands. Kozmotis steps forward, feeling the shift in moods, and places his hands tentatively on Jack’s shoulders.

"That's quite alright. To be honest I didn't think you would, I had not given you any sort of forewarning. Our continued friendship would be, I think, a suitable gift."

"That isn't much of a gift, particularly not for a King." Jack mumbles. There it is, that odd self-depreciating habit that Jack hides behind his banter.

"You paid little heed to my title before, why start now?" Kozmotis cracks a smile and the tension breaks. Jack laughs brightly and allows his friend to tie the cape around his shoulders, a pretty thing that looks like a blanket of snow. Decorative blue stitching lines the edges and it’s perfect, so perfect on Jack that Kozmotis can’t believe he’d only thought of it a month ago.

It is so easy to lose track of time, wandering the shore and frozen lake with Jack as they spend day talking. Kozmotis is reminded that Jack is old, much older than he, and the stories the Fae shares are beyond his wildest dreams. Magical blizzards and awful fights, the history of the war between the Oak and Holly kings, nights when the sky is streaked with lights that Jack fondly describes as wishing stars. Kozmotis is tempted to stay the night in Jack’s hovel of a home but Jack is quick to usher him out once the sun sets.

“I have no material for a fire, and the nights here are far too cold for a human.” He says apologetically, seeming genuinely sad that Kozmotis won’t be able to stay. “But the journey back to Camelot will be guided by one of North’s servants, and I will call the wind away from you so you will not be too cold.”

“Don’t feel obligated,” Kozmotis tells him, but he’s grateful for the offer.

“A gift to you, my friend.” The smile that curves Jack’s lips is genuine. The rabbit fur cape is still draped over his shoulders and he looks fragile in the blue shadows of the snowy trees around them. Kozmotis is suddenly overcome with the desire to take Jack back to Camelot, to set him up in a room with a large window and an even larger bed, a gift more worthy of such an amazing boy.

But Jack is tethered to the lake, the king reminds himself, and he turns towards the forest at Jack’s bidding.

“Happy solstice!” He calls over his shoulder, but when he looks, Jack is already out of sight.

The wind does not wail against him as he rides home, but snow falls in lazy patterns into his eyelashes.


End file.
